Tamper evident closure

ABSTRACT

Tamper-evident closures are known in which the tamper-evidence remains attached to the closures after initial opening. However, the tamper-evidence is not always that clear and therefore it is desirable to produce a closure which more clearly shows it has been initially opened. This may be achieved by having a tamper-evident closure comprising a base, a lid, and a tamper-evident member irreversibly moveable between a first position in which part of the member is visible prior to initial opening of the closure and a second position in which the said part is masked by the lid so as to be partly hidden from view, the tamper-evident member being moved from the first position to the second position upon initial opening of the closure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from UK Patent Application Serial No.0721330.9, filed Oct. 31, 2007, and is directly related to InternationalPatent Application Serial No. PCT/GB2008/003666, filed Oct. 30, 2008,the entire contents of each of which is herein incorporated fully byreference.

FIGURE FOR PUBLICATION

FIG. 2.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a closure for a container. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to a closure which canprovide some indication that the closure has been opened at least once.

2. Description of the Related Art

The related art involves container closures with tamper-evident dropbands which are released from the open end of a closure side wall uponfirst opening. Although drop bands provide some indication that theclosure has been opened, because they are physically separated there isno clear indication of opening on the remaining part of the closure. Itis also known to provide tear-off bands which are removed from a closurebody upon first opening.

What is not appreciated by the prior art is that the tear-off bands ofthe closure body present a litter problem and a potential choking hazardbecause they are generally small tabs which are separated from theclosure body.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved tamper evident closure thatovercomes the problems identified hereinabove.

ASPECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to provide address the problemswith known tamper-evident closures.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a tamper-evidentclosure comprising a base, a lid and a tamper-evident memberirreversibly movable between a first position in which part of themember is visible prior to initial opening of the closure and a secondposition in which the part of the member is now masked by the lid so asto be at least partly hidden from view, the tamper-evident member beingmoved from the first position to the second position upon initialopening of the closure.

The closure may include a hinge for allowing the lid to move withrespect to the base between an open position and a closed position.

The base and lid may be integrally hinged to one another in that theyare manufactured as one piece. For instance, the closure may bemanufactured from plastics and the base and lid may be molded in one,connected together via the hinge. The hinge may be a snap type hinge andmay include at least one strap.

The closure may include first retaining means for retaining thetamper-evident member in the first position. The first retaining meansmay comprise at least one frangible bridge connecting the tamper-evidentmember to the base and/or lid.

The closure may include second retaining means for retaining thetamper-evident member in the second position. The second retaining meansmay comprise a first projection on the lid and a first recess in thetamper-evident member. Alternatively, the second retaining means maycomprise a first projection on the tamper-evident member and a firstrecess in the lid.

The closure may further include third retaining means for retaining thelid in an initially closed position. The third retaining means maycomprise a second projection on the lid and a second recess in thetamper-evident member. Alternatively, the third retaining means maycomprise a second projection on the tamper-evident member and a secondrecess in the lid.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first and secondprojections described above may be one and the same.

The tamper-evident member may include a grasping portion for aiding themovement of the tamper-evident member from the first position to thesecond position. This grasping portion may project radially outwardsfrom the perimeter of the lid such that it is easily grasped by a user.

A dispensing member may be included in the closure. This dispensingmember may be substantially hidden from view by the tamper-evidentmember with the tamper-evident member in the first position. At leastpart of the dispensing member may be revealed with the tamper-evidentmember in the second position.

The dispensing member may be a spout. The dispensing member may be adifferent colour and/or texture from the lid and/or base to allow it tobe more easily differentiated from the lid and/or base.

In use, a user may grasp the grasping portion and move thetamper-evident member from the first position to the second positionthus breaking the frangible bridge connecting the tamper-evident memberto the base. hi one embodiment, the user may grasp the grasping portionand lift or push it upwardly away from the base in an attempt to openthe lid in a manner which is common to typical flip-top closures. Theact of lifting or applying force to the grasping portion may move itfrom the first position to the second position. Continued application ofthis force may then rotate the lid about the hinge such that it opensthe closure. When the closure is returned to its closed position, bymovement of the lid from its open position to its closed positionadjacent to the base, the tamper-evident member may remain in the secondposition thus providing evidence that the closure has been initiallyopened. This evidence is enhanced by the grasping portion projectingfrom the lid having been moved from its initial position to itssubsequent position. Further, enhancement may be provided by therevealing of at least a part of the dispensing member which is initiallymasked by the tamper-evident member. If the dispensing member is adifferent color from the lid and/or base then it may be more clearlyevident to a user that the closure has been initially opened at leastonce and then re-closed.

The dispensing member may be a separate member from the lid and/or base.For instance, it may be molded separately, as opposed to being integralwith the lid and/or base. The dispensing member may then be assembledwith the lid and/or base. The dispensing member may be a spout fordrinking from directly or for pouring from. Alternatively, thedispensing member may be integral with the lid or base.

The tamper-evident member may initially be in an unprimed state onmolding and with the lid in the as-molded open position. Followinginitial closing of the lid the tamper evident member may then have aprimed state in that the second projection and recess are inter-engaged.

The closure may include further tamper-evidence means in the form of aring provided at the lower end of the base. This ring may fit over aneck finish of an associated container so that the base and lidcombination may not be unscrewed, or otherwise removed, from thecontainer without breaking the connection between this ring and thebase. The ring may be connected to the base of the closure by the meansof frangible bridges as is well known in this technical field.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the lid, base and hingeare molded unitarily.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the lid includes anaperture through which the tamper-evident member is visible with thetamper-evident member in the second position. It is possible that thetamper-evident member is not visible through the lid aperture with thetamper-evident member in the first position.

The lid aperture may be provided in the top of the lid.

In another aspect, the invention provides a tamper-evident closurecomprising a base, a lid and a tamper-evident member irreversiblymoveable between a first position in which part of the member is maskedby the lid prior to initial opening of the closure and a second positionin which the said part is visible via an opening in the lid, thetamper-evident member being moved from the first position to the secondposition upon initial opening of the closure.

The various embodiments and features discussed above with regard to thefirst aspect of the invention may also apply to the second aspect of theinvention.

The closure may be formed from any suitable material, such as plasticsor metallic material. Different components of the closure may be formedfrom different materials.

The above, and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure formed according to a firstembodiment of the present invention shown in an open state.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the closure of FIG. 1 having been openedand re-closed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the closure of FIGS. 1 and 2 shown inthe open position.

FIG. 4 is an elevational cross-section of part of the closure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an elevational cross-section of part of the closure of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of theinvention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whereverpossible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawingsand the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. Thedrawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. Forpurposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such astop, bottom, up, down, over, above, and below may be used with respectto the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not beconstrued to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words“connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemesdo not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but alsoinclude connections through mediate elements or devices.

Referring first to FIG. 1 there is shown a tamper-evident closuregenerally indicated 10. The closure 10 is shown attached to the neck ofa container 15. The closure 10 comprises a base 20 and a lid 30 whichtogether comprise a closure body. The lid 30 is connected to the base 20by a hinge 100 (refer to FIG. 3).

The base 20 comprises a cylindrical skirt which is open at both ends. Atthe end of the skirt adjacent the lid 30 a flange, or deck 22 (refer toFIG. 3) extends radially inward.

The lid 30 comprises an upturned cup-shape body having a top plate 32and a side skirt depending from the periphery of the top plate. Theskirt of the lid 30 is coaxial and concentric with the skirt of the base20 such that in the closed position the side walls of the base 20 andthe lid 30 are contiguous.

The base 20 is provided with a recess 25 which is located on the otherside of the circumference of the base 20 from the hinge 100.

The closure 10 includes a tamper-evident member 40 which is locatedwithin the lid 30. This tamper-evident member 40 includes a graspingportion 50 which projects radially outward from the perimeter of the lid30 and above the recess 25 provided in the skirt 20. The graspingportion 50 is more readily gripped by a user due to the proximity of therecess 25 in the base 20 which reduces the diameter of the closure atthis point underneath the grasping portion 50.

The lid 30 also includes an aperture or opening 35 which is providedaxially above the grasping portion 50 and on a shoulder of the lid 30between the top plate 32 and the base 20.

In use, a user may grasp the grasping portion 50 and push it axiallyupwards and away from the base 20 in order to open the lid 30 in amanner typically associated with flip-top lids. By the application offorce on the grasping portion 50, the tamper-evident member 40 is movedupwardly inside the lid 30 as shown in FIG. 2. With the tamper-evidentmember 40 moved upwardly within the lid 30 a portion 60 of thedispensing member 80 (refer to FIG. 3) is visible through an opening 110(refer to FIG. 5) which was previously masked by the tamper-evidentmember 40.

A portion 52 of the tamper-evident member 40 is also visible through thelid aperture 35 in the lid 30 once the tamper-evident member 40 hasmoved upwardly inside the lid 30.

FIG. 2 shows the closure 10 after having been initially opened and thenre-closed. Due to the structure which will be described below thetamper-evident member 40 is irreversibly locked in the upper secondposition, as shown in FIG. 2, which provides evidence of the closurehaving been opened at least once. Accordingly, evidence of tampering orhaving been opened and re-closed is thus provided. If the dispensingmember has a different color from the lid and/or base then it is moreclearly apparent to a user that the closure has been initially openedand re-closed since the portion 60 of the dispensing member 80 is moreclearly visible through the opening 110.

With reference to FIG. 3, the lid 30 of the closure 10 is shown in thefully open position having been rotated about the hinge 100. Adispensing member 80 is shown exposed provided in association with thebase 20. The dispensing member 80 includes a spout having an orifice 90.The dispensing member 80 is sealed by interaction with a bore seal 33provided on the underside of the lid 30. This bore seal 33 takes theform of a substantially cylindrical projection which fits around thespout 90 and seals against the dispensing member 80. The tamper-evidentmember 40 is not visible in this FIG. 3; however, the grasping portion50 is shown in the second or raised position. Frangible bridges 51(refer to FIG. 4) have broken on movement of the tamper-evident member40 to the second position. The remains 41 of the frangible bridges 51are visible on the deck 22 of the base 20 in the region of the recess25.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a partial cross-section of theclosure 10 through the area surrounding and including the tamper-evidentmember 40. FIG. 4 shows the tamper-evident member 40 in the first orlower position, relative to the lid 30 and the base 20. The graspingportion 50 is spaced from the lid 30 such that an opening 105 provides a“window” or aperture through which the tamper-evident member 40 isvisible. The dispensing member 80 and in particular a portion 60 of thedispensing member 80 is not visible through the aperture 105 since thetamper-evident member 40 masks it. The tamper-evident member 40 isconnected to the base via at least one frangible bridge 51. Thetamper-evident member 40 comprises two recesses 53, 55 provided oneaxially above the other and above the grasping member 50. The top 52 ofthe tamper-evident member 40 is axially displaced downwardly from thelid aperture 35 and accordingly is not visible through this lid aperture35 with the tamper-evident member 40 in this first lower position.

The bore seal 33 provided within the lid 30 is shown pressed against thedispensing member 82 to thereby seal it.

Further, a retaining member 37 is indicated lying radially between thebore seal 33 and the outer skirt of the lid 30. This retaining member 37projects downwardly from the underside of the lid 30 but does not reachall the way to the deck 22 of the skirt 20 such that it leaves anaperture 110 (refer to FIG. 5). This aperture 110 is presently masked bythe presence of the tamper-evident member 40 and the grasping portion 50thereof.

Provided on the radially outer surface of this retaining member 37 is aprojection 38. This projection has a sloping lower surface and ahorizontal upper surface. The sloping lower surface 38 allows the tamperevident member 40, and in particular the block 54, to travel past itfrom a lower, primed position to an upper position. With thetamper-evident member 40 in the first position, as shown in FIG. 4, theprojection 38 projects radially outwardly and in to the recess 53 on thetamper-evident member 40. The interaction of the upper surface of theprojection 38 and the top of the recess 53 prevents the lid 30 frombeing opened without the frangible bridge(s) 51 breaking and thetamper-evident member 40 moving upwardly with the lid 30.

In one embodiment, the closure 10 is molded in the open position, asshown in FIG. 3. This means that upon initial assembly the lid 30 ismoved to the initially closed position as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly,the tamper-evident member 40 slides upwardly between the retainingmember 37 and the outer skirt of the lid 30 so that the projection 38 onthe retaining member 37 passes into the recess 53 such that thetamper-evident member 40 becomes primed.

In use, a user grasps the grasping portion 50 aided by the recess 25 andapplies upward axial force to it in an attempt to open the lid 30. Bythe application of this force, the tamper-evident 40 is moved axiallyupward within the pocket formed between the retaining member 37 and theouter skirt of the lid 30. This is shown in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 5 the tamper-evident member 40 is shown having moved axiallyupwards from its first position to its second position such that theprojection 38 has moved from recess 53 to recess 55 past intermediateblock 54. The tamper-evident member 40 is prevented from returning toits first position by the block 54 which cannot pass back beyond theprojection 38 due to the corresponding horizontal surfaces provided onthe upper surface of the projection 38 and the underside of the block54. The projection 38 now rests in the lower recess 55. The frangiblebridge 51 accordingly has broken leaving behind a mark or portion of thefrangible bridge 41 on the deck 22 of the base 20.

By the movement of the tamper-evident member 40 to its second raised orupper position an aperture 110 is exposed between the lower end of theretaining member 37 and the deck 22 of the base 20. A user may see aportion 60 of the dispensing member 80 through this aperture 110.

1.-18. (canceled)
 19. A tamper-evident closure comprising: (a) a base;(b) a lid; and (c) a tamper-evident member irreversibly movable betweena first position in which part of said tamper-evident member is visibleprior to initial opening of said tamper-evident closure and a secondposition in which said part of said tamper-evident closure is masked bysaid lid so as to be at least partly hidden from view, saidtamper-evident member being moved from said first position to saidsecond position upon initial opening of said tamper-evident closure. 20.A tamper-evident closure according to claim 19, said closure furthercomprising first retaining means for retaining said tamper-evidentmember in said first position.
 21. A tamper-evident closure according toclaim 20, wherein said first retaining means comprises at least onefrangible bridge connecting said tamper-evident member to at least oneof said base and said lid.
 22. A tamper-evident closure according toclaim 20, further including second retaining means for retaining saidtamper-evident member in said second position.
 23. A tamper-evidentclosure according to claim 22, wherein said second retaining meanscomprises a first projection on said lid and a first recess in saidtamper-evident member.
 24. A tamper-evident closure according to claim23, wherein said closure further comprises third retaining means forretaining said lid in an initially closed position.
 25. A tamper-evidentclosure according to claim 24, wherein said third retaining meanscomprises a second projection on said lid and a second recess in saidtamper-evident member.
 26. A tamper-evident closure according to claim25, wherein said first and said second projections are the same.
 27. Atamper-evident closure according to claim 19, wherein saidtamper-evident member includes a grasping portion for aiding themovement of said tamper-evident member from said first position to saidsecond position.
 28. A tamper-evident closure according to claim 27,wherein said grasping portion projects radially outwards from theperimeter of said lid.
 29. A tamper-evident closure according to claim19, further including a dispensing member substantially hidden from viewby said tamper-evident member with said tamper-evident member in saidfirst position, wherein at least part of said dispensing member isrevealed with said tamper-evident member in said second position.
 30. Atamper-evident closure according to claim 29, wherein said dispensingmember is a spout.
 31. A tamper-evident closure according to claim 29,wherein said dispensing member is a different color from said lid andsaid base.
 32. A tamper-evident closure according to claim 19, furtherincluding a hinge for allowing said lid to move with respect to saidbase between an open position and a closed position.
 33. Atamper-evident closure according to claim 32, wherein said lid, saidbase and said hinge are molded unitarily.
 34. A tamper-evident closureaccording to claim 19, wherein said lid further comprises an aperturethrough which said tamper-evident member is visible with saidtamper-evident member in said second position.
 35. A tamper-evidentclosure according to claim 34, wherein said aperture is provided in thetop of said lid.
 36. A tamper-evident closure comprising: (a) a base;(b) a lid; (c) a tamper-evident member irreversibly movable between afirst position in which part of said tamper-evident member is visibleprior to initial opening of said tamper-evident closure and a secondposition in which said part of said tamper-evident closure is masked bysaid lid so as to be at least partly hidden from view, saidtamper-evident member being moved from said first position to saidsecond position upon initial opening of said tamper-evident closure; (d)first retaining means for retaining said tamper-evident member in saidfirst position, and wherein said first retaining means further comprisesat least one frangible bridge connecting said tamper-evident member toat least one of said base and said lid; and (e) second retaining meansfor retaining said tamper-evident member in said second position, andwherein said second retaining means further comprises: (i) a firstprojection on said lid; and (ii) a first recess in said tamper-evidentmember; and (f) a hinge for allowing said lid to move with respect tosaid base between an open position and a closed position.
 37. Atamper-evident closure according to claim 36, wherein saidtamper-evident closure further comprises: (a) third retaining means forretaining said lid in an initially closed position, and wherein saidthird retaining means further comprises: (i) a second projection on saidlid; and (ii) a second recess in said tamper-evident member.
 38. Atamper-evident closure according to claim 36, wherein saidtamper-evident member further comprises: (a) a grasping portion foraiding the movement of said tamper-evident member from said firstposition to said second position, and wherein said grasping portionprojects radially outwards from the perimeter of said lid; and (b) adispensing member substantially hidden from view by said tamper-evidentmember with said tamper-evident member in said first position, whereinat least part of said dispensing member is revealed with saidtamper-evident member in said second position.
 39. A tamper-evidentclosure comprising: (a) a base; (b) a lid; and (c) a tamper-evidentmember irreversibly movable between a first position in which part ofsaid tamper-evident member is masked by said lid prior to initialopening of said tamper-evident closure and a second position in whichsaid part of said tamper-evident member is visible via an opening insaid lid, said tamper-evident member being moved from said firstposition to said second position upon initial opening of saidtamper-evident closure; (d) first retaining means for retaining saidtamper-evident member in said first position, and wherein said firstretaining means further comprises at least one frangible bridgeconnecting said tamper-evident member to at least one of said base andsaid lid; and (e) second retaining means for retaining saidtamper-evident member in said second position, and wherein said secondretaining means further comprises: (i) a first projection on said lid;and (ii) a first recess in said tamper-evident member; and (f) thirdretaining means for retaining said lid in an initially closed position,and wherein said third retaining means further comprises: (i) a secondprojection on said lid; and (ii) a second recess in said tamper-evidentmember.